Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1B tail number 62-02063
The Army purchased this helicopter 0763
Total flight hours at this point: 00003681
Date: 07/14/1969 MIA-POW file reference number: 1466
Incident number: 690714231ACD Accident case number: 690714231 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: C/1/9 CAV
The station for this helicopter was Phouc Vinh in South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: XT910459 (To see this location on a map, go to https://legallandconverter.com/p50.html and search on Grid Reference 48PXT910459)
Number killed in accident = 4 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 456360
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Reference Notes. Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: 1466 ()
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
P MAJ FELTON THOMAS MOODY KIA
P CW2 BURNS ERNEST DOOM KIA
CE SGT DAVIS RAY GENE KIA
G PFC BUTLER DEWEY RENEE BNR
REFNO Synopsis:
BUTLER, DEWEY RENEE
Name: Dewey Renee Butler
Rank/Branch: E3/US Army
Unit: Troop C; 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry; 1st Cavalry Division
Date of Birth: 15 August 1949 (Goldsboro NC)
Home City of Record: Washington DC
Date of Loss: 14 July 1969
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 111559N 1064500E (XT910459)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 3
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1B
Other Personnel In Incident: Ernest Burns; Ray G. Davis, Thomas M. Felton
(on UH1B); all killed, remains recovered.
SYNOPSIS: On a rainy July 14, 1969, a UH1B helicopter from Troop C, 1st
Squadron, 9th Cavalry was sent on a night combat support mission in Binh Duong
Province, South Vietnam about 10 miles northeast of Ben Cat. Its crew included
Maj. Thomas M. Felton, pilot, PFC Dewey R. Butler, door gunner; Sgt. Ray G.
Davis and another unnamed crewman (these two served as aircraft commander and
crew chief). The UH1B was operating with a "Pink Team" when it collided in
mid-air with the team's OH6A Loach helicopter, flown by Ernest Burns.
The UH1B exploded and caught fire, and continued in a northwesterly heading
until it hit trees and exploded. It then crashed and burned. All four
crewmembers of the UH1B were killed, but the three crewmembers of the OH6A
survived and were evacuated from the area.
The color system of identifying the various units was peculiar to cavalry
units. The white section, or "Whites" were the scouts. The Loach lost on July
14, was a "White". The "Reds" were the gun platoon, and were normally Cobra
gunships. The blue section was the Aero Rifle Platoon. The common acronym used
to describe infantry within the cavalry unit is "Blues", just as other units
described infantry as "grunts". The team of two Loach and Cobra helicopters
came to be known as a "Pink" team. When the pink team found an enemy unit that
they wanted to pursue, they would call the "Blues". The "Whites" would provide
assistance in inserting and extracting "Blues", while the "Reds" provided
cover. Butler's aircraft was undoubtedly a "Blue", and probably completing an
insertion of troops.
When search teams located the wreckage of the planes, they recovered the bodies
of Burns, Davis and Felton. Butler's remains had been mutilated, leaving only
portions of his body, but identification was still possible. The Captain on the
search and rescue team recognized Butler's negroid features immediately. It was
felt that the mutilation was not done by the enemy because, although an old
AK47 clip was found, no recent sign of enemy presence was found. Butler's
remains were brought back to camp, but disappeared before an official positive
identification could be made. As pig tracks were found leading away from the
area, it was belived that the remains may have been carried away by animals and
could not be recovered.
Accident Summary:
THIS MAJOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVOLVED TWO ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT ENGAGED IN COMBAT SUPPORT ACTIVITIES AT NIGHT. A UH-1B AIRCRAFT WITH 4 PERSONNEL ABOARD, STRUCK AN OH-6A AIRCRAFT CARRYING 3 PERSONNEL. THE UH-1B AIRCRAFT CRASHED AND BURNED FOLLOWING THE MID-AIR COLLISION. ALL FOUR PERSONNEL ABOARD THE UH-1B SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE OH-6A AIRCRAFT MADE A HARD AUTOROTATION LANDING IN A SMALL CLEARED AREA IN THE TREES FOLLOWING THE MID-AIR COLLISION. ALL THREE PERSONNEL ABOARD THE OH-6A SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES. THE OH-6A DID NOT BURN.\\
War Story:
Mid-air with OH-6A 67-16601. The B-model Burns and Felton were flying was the CO's (CAV 6 Maj Felton) Gunship & C&C. REFNO synopsis incorrectly attributed it as a Blue Team lift ship doing an Insertion. Not the case. CAV 6 used the B-Model it as a C&C and Gunship, Ernie Burns was his personal pilot.
Rob Zastrow WO1 Cav 37, C/1/9 1 Cav
This record was last updated on 12/23/2006
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